Audi Q8 e-tron Review 2024
Written by Andrew Brady
Quick overview
Pros
- Better electric range than the old Audi e-tron
- Looks sharper than before
- Even the most affordable models are well-equipped
Cons
- Offered with annoying virtual door mirrors
- Doesn't feel significantly different from the old model
- Touchscreen infotainment looks smart but isn't all that user-friendly
Overall verdict on the Audi Q8 e-tron
"Thanks to an impressive electric range, sharper looks and a mix of trim levels and power outputs to suit a wide audience, the new Audi Q8 e-tron is finally the competitive premium SUV its predecessor ought to have been. It's not a budget SUV, but neither is the competition, and it's a convincing enough all-rounder that you could comfortably use a Q8 e-tron as a very desirable family car."
We liked the original Audi e-tron when it first came out in 2018 but, even then, it didn't quite stack up against rivals like the excellent Jaguar I-Pace. Over time, more and more competitors have hit the market with desirable electric SUVs, and today an e-tron would be a very tough sell over something like the BMW iX.
Audi's also been busy expanding its own range of electric SUVs (with the Audi Q4 e-tron and upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron), which is why the regular e-tron has been given a new name: the Audi Q8 e-tron. It sits as the brand's flagship SUV, rivalling the electric vehicles mentioned above, as well as the Mercedes EQC and EQE SUV, Genesis Electrified GV70 and the Volvo EX90. Find out how it fairs in our Audi Q8 e-tron review.
So, aside from the name, what's new? The exterior of the Audi Q8 e-tron has been given a bit of a nip-and-tuck with a new grille, alloy wheel options and paint colours. The interior's not all that different, either, but it still feels as premium as you'd expect for an electric car that can easily edge over £100,000 when new.
The biggest change relates the question all electric car buyers ask: how far will it travel between charges? A new battery design means you can now buy the Audi Q8 e-tron with a 95kWh or 114kWh battery pack, with even the most affordable models capable of travelling more than 280 miles between charges. The Audi Q8 55 e-tron, with the bigger battery pack, can now cover up to 333 miles between charges. That's the kind of range you expect if you're looking at a premium electric SUV.
There are four regular trim levels to choose from: Sport, S Line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. Standard equipment on the Audi Q8 e-tron Sport won't leave you wanting for much: 20-inch alloy wheels, Audi's Matrix LED headlights, a power-operated tailgate, and myriad touchscreens and digital displays are all standard, not to mention the air suspension, which can adjust the ride height at different speeds to improve efficiency.
As before, you can get the Audi Q8 e-tron as a regular SUV or as a sporty coupe-SUV badged the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback. Deciding between the two depends on your personal preference, really: the Sportback arguably looks a bit more stylish but, in typical premium car fashion, you're effectively paying more for less.
There's also a sporty Audi SQ8 e-tron, which uses no fewer than three electric motors to provide Tesla-like performance. You'll pay a premium for this flagship model, though, with prices of a new one nudging £100,000 in its entry-level form. The Vorsprung version busts that barrier by quite a bit.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Audi Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of Audi Q8 e-tron cars for sale.
Is the Audi Q8 e-tron right for you?
The beauty of the Audi Q8 e-tron is that it doesn't feel all space age and futuristic. If you're reluctantly trading in your petrol or diesel SUV, it's not going to feel weird for the sake of feeling weird (there are no falcon wing doors like you'd find on a Tesla Model X). You do get all the advantages of electric motoring, though, namely low running costs and impressive refinement.
With its big boot and spacious cabin, the Audi Q8 e-tron is ideally suited to family life. If you're not as fussed about practicality, the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback is a more stylish choice, while the flagship Audi SQ8 will appeal to those in the market for something a bit flashier (with the performance to match).
What’s the best Audi Q8 e-tron model/engine to choose?
There isn't really an Audi Q8 e-tron to avoid: it's up to you how much you're willing to spend on more desirable (but not essential) equipment and a bit of extra power. In terms of powertrain, the 340PS Audi Q8 50 e-tron will have more than enough power for most buyers, but the more powerful 408PS Q8 55 e-tron also gets a bigger 114kWh battery pack, providing a more useable electric range.
As far as trim levels go, Sport trim ticks all the boxes, although the Audi Q8 e-tron S Line adds some nice-to-have features such as the bigger 21-inch alloy wheels, adaptive sport suspension and privacy glass.
What other cars are similar to the Audi Q8 e-tron?
The new Audi Q8 e-tron’s newfound boldness aims to see it challenge rivals such as the distinctive BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Other rivals include the Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X and Volvo EX90.
Comfort and design: Audi Q8 e-tron interior
"There wasn't much wrong with the old Audi e-tron's interior, so we're pleased to see that little has changed with the new Audi Q8 e-tron."
One thing we're yet to be convinced by are the virtual door mirrors. Rather than conventional glass mirrors, you can buy the Audi Q8 e-tron with little cameras sticking out of the doors and small digital displays set into the door cards. We've spent quite a bit of time with these and just can't get used to them: judging the distance of other traffic and obstacles is difficult, while the position of the screens doesn't feel particularly natural. Fortunately, they're only fitted as standard on the most expensive Q8 e-tron models.
Other than that, the Audi Q8 e-tron feels refreshingly normal inside: it's like sitting in any other expensive Audi (including the regular Audi Q8). That means the interior feels impeccably finished, while standard equipment levels are high and the multi-screen infotainment setup is largely excellent.
It's very easy to get comfortable in the Audi Q8 e-tron, thanks to a range of adjustment in the seats and the steering wheel. You do sit fairly high, which is a selling point of SUVs to many buyers, and that means visibility is largely excellent, aided by thin pillars and a deep windscreen.
The interior doesn't change massively depending on how much you spend on an Audi Q8 e-tron. All models come with the Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, for example, as well as the dual-screen infotainment display. Audi Q8 e-tron S Line models and above do look a bit sportier inside, thanks to the standard sport seats and three-spoke steering wheel finished in perforated leather. The Q8 e-tron Vorsprung feels particularly posh, with heated seats for the front and rear, as well as a panoramic roof, heated steering wheel, extended leather pack and sunblinds for the rear windows.
Quality and finish
You just can't fault the Audi Q8 e-tron for interior quality. It feels impeccably well made with soft-touch materials and satisfying thunks when you shut the doors. You don't need to pay top money for an Audi Q8 e-tron that feels well finished, either: even the Q8 e-tron Sport comes with leather seats, Graphite Grey interior inlays and Lunar Silver cloth headlining.
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the Audi Q8 e-tron
There's no shortage of screens in the new Audi Q8 e-tron. We'll start with Audi's excellent Virtual Cockpit: a 12.3-inch digital display that sits behind the steering wheel and can be configured to show whatever you'd like, pretty much, from sat-nav directions to conventional dials.
A central 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display provides access to things like navigation (as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), while there's another 8.6-inch display below that takes care of the climate control. The twin-screen setup looks smart and is easy to use, with ultra rapid responses and high-resolution displays. As ever, though, physical buttons (including a rotary controller for the main infotainment) would be easier to use on the move. You can get around this, to an extent, by using the 'hey Audi' voice-activated personal assistant.
For the ultimate in in-car tech, look for an Audi Q8 e-tron with the Technology Pack. This adds a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system (a must for audiophiles) as well as multi-colour interior ambient lighting, a head-up display and extra parking assistance technology. The Technology Pack Pro takes things a step further with exterior ambient lighting, rear USB-C sockets, four-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof and heated rear seats.
Space and practicality: Audi Q8 e-tron boot space
The new Audi Q8 e-tron is a large car, measuring 4915mm long and 1937mm wide. This serves up a good amount of room for up to five people inside. That's two less than the Tesla Model X manages, but it manages to feel more spacious than, say, the Jaguar I-Pace.
As the Audi Q8 e-tron has been designed from scratch as a pure EV (there isn't actually any crossover with the combustion-engined Audi Q8), there's little in the way of compromise inside. The front feels very spacious, while even the tallest of adults will be comfortable in the back. If you're looking for a luxurious executive chauffeur car, the Audi Q8 e-tron could be a very strong choice.
The Audi Q8 e-tron has a pretty big boot, too, capable of carrying up to 569 litres of luggage along with an additional 62 litres in the front stowage area (under the bonnet). This drops to 528 litres in the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron.
Handling and ride quality: What is the Audi Q8 e-tron like to drive?
"The Audi Q8 e-tron is a big, heavy electric SUV and feels it in the corners. It rides fairly well, though, and there's loads of technology on hand to take the strain out of day-to-day driving."
All Audi Q8 e-tron models come with air suspension as standard, which helps you waft along nicely on all but the most uneven of road surfaces. Higher-spec models come with sport suspension and bigger 21-inch alloy wheels, which aren't great news for ride quality but - provided you avoid the sportier drive modes - the Audi Q8 e-tron doesn't fidget about too much.
The driver almost feels like a spare part in the Audi Q8 e-tron, which will suit some buyers. The steering is fairly numb and there's little pleasure to be found in hustling the Q8 e-tron along (or even the supposedly sporty SQ8 e-tron, for that matter). If you're looking for an electric SUV that's fun to drive, you might want to look at the Jaguar I-Pace or BMW iX3 instead.
Of course, the instant acceleration provided by the electric motors is pretty amusing if you're new to driving an EV. But even the most powerful models don't feel all that fast, namely because you're so cocooned in the cabin that you just don't get the sensation of speed.
Buy an Audi Q8 e-tron with the optional paddles behind the steering wheel and you can adjust the amount of regenerative braking: that's how much the electric motors slow the car down when you lift off the accelerator pedal. We like this ramped up to the max, particularly around town, as you can move with traffic barely having to touch the brakes. There's also an automatic mode, which can slow the Q8 e-tron down as required (using data about the road ahead, for example), which takes a little getting used to but is a pretty cool feature.
What motors and batteries are available in the Audi Q8 e-tron?
There are three core flavours of Audi Q8 e-tron: the Q8 50 e-tron, Q8 55 e-tron and the SQ8 e-tron. Suffice it to say, they're all pretty rapid.
The entry-level Audi Q8 50 e-tron has a 95kWh battery powering an electric motor on each axle producing a total of 340PS and 664Nm of torque. It'll accelerate to 62mph in 6.0 seconds flat while top speed is 124mph.
The Audi Q8 55 e-tron uses a bigger 114kWh battery pack, combined with a punchier pair of electric motors. As a result, it produces 408PS and 664Nm of torque, taking it to 62mph in 5.6 seconds. Top speed remains at 124mph.
The Audi SQ8 e-tron combines the bigger battery with three electric motors (one on the front axle, and one for each of the rear wheels). Producing a hefty 503PS and 973Nm of torque, it certainly feels pretty rapid. 0-62mph takes just 4.5 seconds, while top speed is 130mph.
Maximum electric range in the Audi Q8 e-tron
Audi says it's responded to criticism that the old e-tron couldn't travel far enough between charges. That's why its engineers were tasked with making the batteries in the new Q8 e-tron more efficient, packing more cells (and higher energy density) into the same size of battery pack.
That's why even the entry-level Audi Q8 50 e-tron now comes with a 95kWh battery pack, while the more powerful models now have a battery capacity of 114kWh.
According to official WLTP tests, the Audi Q8 50 e-tron can now travel up to 283 miles between charges, while the sleeker Sportback model manages 290 miles. The Audi Q8 55 e-tron, meanwhile, manages up to 333 miles as an SUV or 343 miles as the Sportback variant. The sporty Audi SQ8 e-tron has a range of 284 miles, while the Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron manages 295 miles.
Refinement and noise levels
The Audi Q8 e-tron is generally exceptionally refined, aside from a slight whine from the electric motors, which had us turning up the radio during our test drive. It's not really a deal breaker (and only really obvious because the Q8 e-tron does an otherwise brilliant job of disguising outside noise), but it is a little irritating in a premium SUV of this price.
You won't notice much wind noise, which is impressive for an SUV as big as the Q8 e-tron, while even the biggest alloy wheels don't generate too much in the way of road noise.
Safety equipment: How safe is the Audi Q8 e-tron?
Just like the Audi e-tron, the Q8 e-tron is a very safe family SUV. The old model was awarded five stars for safety by Euro NCAP when it was crash-tested in 2019, a rating that will remain valid for the new car, despite the name change.
There are no fewer than five cameras, five radar sensors and 12 ultrasonic sensors powering as many as 40 driver-assistance systems, meaning it should be pretty difficult for things to go particularly wrong in the Q8 e-tron (not that we'd recommend trying).
For the full suite of assistance tech, you'll want to look for an example with one of the desirable option packs fitted. The Tour Pack, for example, brings with it adaptive cruise assist with lane assist, emergency assist (which will take control of the car and bring it safely to a standstill if the driver is inactive), turn assist (which uses the sensors and front camera to monitor for other vehicles when turning) and swerve assist (which can help you steer around an obstacle).
As its name suggests, the City Assist Pack adds some useful tech for around-town driving, things like the Pre-sense rear (which prepares the car for a crash if it detects an impending collision from the rear), Cross-traffic assist front and rear (which warns of approaching traffic when you're pulling out of a parking space) and Lane change assistant (which warns you of approaching traffic when changing lanes).
Charging times: How much does it cost to charge the Audi Q8 e-tron?
"The Audi Q8 50 e-tron comes with a 95kWh battery pack, while the Q8 55 and SQ8 models come with a sizeable 114kWh battery."
The Audi Q8 50 e-tron models can be charged at a rate of up to 150kW, while those with the bigger battery charge at up to 170kW. Either way, if you find a fast enough public rapid charger, you can top-up the Audi Q8 e-tron from 10 to 80% in around half an hour.
Charging at home will take longer but, unless you're burning the candle at both ends, you should be able to charge the Audi Q8 e-tron entirely overnight. It'll take around nine hours and 15 minutes to fully charge an Audi Q8 50 e-tron using an 11kW charger, while the bigger-battery models will take 11 and a half hours. That said, most UK homes don't have the three-phase electrics needed for a connection of that speed, with a 7.4kW connection being the most commonplace. That being the case, allow a couple more hours than those stated.
How reliable is an Audi Q8 e-tron?
The pre-facelift Audi e-tron proved itself to a be a relatively reliable electric SUV. The main issue we received reports of were around the camera-based door mirrors: there were a few gremlins with the screens flickering and occasionally going entirely blank. These issues should have been ironed out but, if you're concerned, look for a Q8 e-tron without the virtual door mirrors. We would, regardless of reliability issues.
Insurance groups and costs
If you're a young or inexperienced driver, look away now, as the Audi Q8 e-tron will be expensive to be insure for anyone. A Sport-trimmed Q8 will sit in group 48 when in 50 e-tron guise, and group 49 in 55 e-tron guise, while the 50 e-tron S line is also in group 49. All other versions are in group 50, however, which is the most expensive group there is.
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on an Audi Q8 e-tron?
Buy an Audi Q8 e-tron before 2025 and you won’t pay anything in VED. That’s because electric cars are currently exempt from car tax, which is quite a significant saving, especially when you consider most petrol or diesel cars with a list price of more than £40,000 are hit with a premium car tax of an extra £410 a year for five years, and that's on top of the regular £190-per-year charge.
How much should you be paying for a used Audi Q8 e-tron?
"If you're looking for a cheap electric car, you'll need to look elsewhere. The Audi Q8 e-tron is unashamedly expensive, with prices for the most affordable models starting from around £70,000. If you want one of the faster, more desirable Q8 e-trons, you'll have to be prepared to spend more than £100,000."
You'll pay a premium of around £2500 for the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback over the regular SUV (we wouldn't bother...), while the range tops out with the £114,000 Audi SQ8 e-tron Vorsprung. Ouch.
The good news is that, while the Audi Q8 e-tron is still fairly new to the market, you can still pick up early examples for £45,000 or less in the heycar listings, and the mileages are far from crazy, with fewer than 15,000 of them covered in most cases.
Even better, you'd have to be an Audi anorak to spot the difference between the Q8 e-tron and the older Audi e-tron, and you can save an even bigger wedge of cash by looking for the older model. We've seen early Audi e-trons dropping below £20,000.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Standard equipment on the Audi Q8 e-tron Sport includes 20-inch alloy wheels, quattro all-wheel-drive, adaptive air suspension, Audi drive select, matrix LED headlights and dynamic front/rear indicators, LED rear lights, a power-operated tailgate, windscreen with acoustic glazing, keyless go, electrically adjustable and heated front seats with driver memory function, leather seats, two-zone automatic climate control with comfort remote preconditioning, a four-spoke multifunction leather steering wheel, MMI Navigation plus with MMI Touch (including a 10.1-inch touchscreen display and a seperate 8.6-inch display to control in-car features), Audi Virtual Cockpit, Audi Sound System (with a six-channel amplifier and 10 loudspeakers), Audi Smartphone interface with wireless functionality, DAB digital radio, Audi Phone Box with wireless charging, cruise control, lane departure warning, Audi pre-sense front, rear-view camera, parking system plus with 360-degree sensors and camera traffic sign recognition.
The Audi Q8 e-tron S Line builds on this with 21-inch alloy wheels, adaptive sport air suspension, S line front and rear bumpers and rear diffuser, rear privacy glass, front sport seats with S embossed logo in valcona leather upholstery, dark matt brushed aluminium inlays and a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel in perforated leather with S logo.
The Audi Q8 e-tron Black Edition features 21-inch gloss black alloy wheels, the Audi beam with e-tron logo, black exterior highlights, a mesh anthracite inlay and a three-spoke flat bottom multifunction leather steering wheel.
The Audi Q8 e-tron Vorsprung features 22-inch alloy wheels, digital matrix lights, virtual door mirrors, power door closure, adaptive windscreen wipers, front super sports seats with S embossed logo in Valcona leather, carbon inlay, heated leather multi-function steering wheel, electric steering column adjustment, extended leather pack, Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, Technology Pack Pro, Tour Pack, City Assist Pack and Parking Assist Pack.
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